Among the champion equestrian riders produced by New Zealand, the name of Mark Todd stands supreme.

His record of two Olympic gold medals in the three-day event, at Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988, would alone make him one of New Zealand’s outstanding sports people. But he achieved much more besides.

He won the three-day event at Badminton, the sport’s Wimbledon, three times as well as a string of other top-line competitions, including world championships.

Todd was often referred to as a master horseman who made horse and rider seem as one, and few could have argued with that description. Todd’s successes and examples have inspired others and set the standards to which they aspire.

Todd was voted eventing rider of the century in 1999 and at his final Olympics in Sydney in 2000, he won the bronze medal in the three-day event.